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On road diesel vs. Off road diesel???

37K views 26 replies 12 participants last post by  aerpelding 
#1 ·
What is the main difference between on and off road diesel and does it have any negative effects such as mpg, injectors, or any type of sensors??? Thanks in advanced.
 
#2 ·
Same exact fuel. The off road stuff is dyed red because it isnt taxed
 
#5 ·
whats the difference between on/off road diesel and #2 heating oil? I was told we can run #2 in our trucks, but I don't wanna do any damage. Same guy told me that #2 is the same as LSD instead of the dyded off road diesel which is the same as ULSD? Which would mean no need for additive.
 
#6 ·
I don't believe heating oil is as refined as #2 I sure wouldn't run it!!
As for ORD you better be careful, is it really worth a .20 a gallon difference. If you do a search with my name you will find my post from last summer where I got pulled over by State Troopers just so they could dip my tank. That's all these two cops do is pull over all the diesel trucks they can. First offense is 10 grand!!!
I have seen them over at the cattle auction dipping tanks but never heard of them pulling anyone over. The red dye will also stain your FF, and Yes they will pull the FF to look at it if they feel they need to. If they think you have ORD in the tank they take a sample and send it into a lab, if the concentration comes back high enough you get to write a nice big fat check!!

Not worth it to me, but I know many who use it!!

NCH
 
#7 ·
I own a tank of off-road diesel for the tractor. In our area the savings is 40 cents per gallon plus to me the convenience of having a bulk tank at home is very valuable.

When I first bought my powerstroke I changed the fuel filter and wanted to flush out the filter housing through the drain. Out of habit I just used a cup of off road diesel and now I have to worry about whether that was enough to taint my fuel system. Probably not but the fine is very very high.

The red dye is very dark and almost like blood. The tractor loves the stuff.
 
#9 ·
for the record off road diesel is not the same as on road, and the reason it is dyed red has nothing to do with its tax exemption. off road diesel has a higher sulfer and oil base content than your conventional road diesel.. "red" diesel is straight unrefined diesel fuel dyed red, the stuff we use in our trucks is refined for emission purposes. the high sulfer and oil contents cause off road diesel to emmit more. if you think you can get away with it by all means run the red! the oil content is better for your engine in every aspect..
 
#11 ·
This was correct a few years ago but not anymore. Now all diesel is ULSD the new standard
 
#10 ·
I dont know about other states but in Missouri there is more of a difference in Off road fuel(farm Fuel) and Road grade fuel. New Road fuel is Has a Rating of 15ppm (parts per million) and farm diesel has a rating of 500ppm. The ppm rating is somewhat a measurement of the lubricating properties of the fuel, the lower the number the dryer the fuel will be. The new diesels are designed for ULSD or Ultra low sulfur diesel which is the 15ppm road fuel. So if the truck is a 6.4 i wouldnt run the Red fuel if its the 500ppm. The fuel system is very sensitive on these trucks which is why you cant run WVO and such in them. In some places as stated above the fuel is the same just dyed. It all depends on the sulfur content of the fuel. Just my 2 cents
 
#12 ·
Again this was correct up until a few years ago however not anymore. These stations have just not updated the sticker on the pumps
 
#13 ·
thanks for the update! i dont want to be throwing around false info... should have checked up.
 
#16 ·
Dave is right, ORD is now the same just dyed red. We have a tank of the red stuff at home and I use it once in a great while. I have NEVER heard of anyone dipping tanks or being fined in Ohio. I bet 50% or more of the diesels in my county run the red.
 
#17 ·
Well here is a conversation we had about it back in January. I beleive this is the one Kevin was referring to.

Worth the read :thumb:

http://www.powerstroke.org/forum/99.../77720-got-pulled-today-offroad-diesel-4.html

Also I gotta correct u guys Dave and GM. It will eventually all be ULSD.....but dieseltorkin is right. Until 6/2010 it is still 500 ppm for the offroad stuff. It used to be unlimited (no maximum sulfer ppm requirements). As of 6/2007 is was limited to 500ppm, and in june of '10, it will all be ULSD (15 ppm). :nod:

Emission Standards: USA: Nonroad Diesel Engines

Anyway you look at it, it's not worth it to run the red. Don't bother.
 
#18 ·
Chris the standard is correct. However when the refineries made the switch to 15ppm they did it for both fuels knowing they were required to in 2010 anyway. That's the point I am making here
 
#19 ·
exactly :thumb:
 
#20 ·
How do you two know?
 
#22 ·
Talk to people that work at the refineries. One of Marathons biggest plants is 20 min from me and employee many people in my area.

Also it just makes sense... If you knew you had to change ORD in a few years why not just do it at the same time and only have to make one blend of fuel and just dye some of it.
 
#21 ·
Not trying to be an azz, it's just....I provided documentation for my point. You guys seem to be so sure and adamant about it, but how do you know for sure?
 
#23 ·
Your documentation was the regulations. Were not saying that is wrong, were just saying that MOST places changed offroad at the same time to 15ppm so they meet the standards now, in 2010, and dont have to produce 2 different diesel blends.
 
#24 ·
I know what you were saying. I didn't take it as you were saying it was wrong. :thumb:
And I really don't want to sound argumentative here, but again, where is this coming from? They have been producing two different blends forever, so it isn't like they would've had to start making two blends, all of a sudden.

I want to keep this constructive, because I could stand to learn something here too. :nod: I just want to see something where someone has tested the two fuels with results, or a statement from a refinery or company stating that they have made the switch already. :shrug:
 
#25 ·
depends on your location and who is refining it, lsd off road is still out there, and there is also lsd on-road available. i have bp diesel supreme delivered here and their on and off-road is the same fuel with dye added. i have a friend who has marathon lsd delivered to them, and local truck stops have both lsd & usld available
 
#27 ·
i delivered a car to Tennessee last weekend and filled up at a BP. I noticed that the sticker on the pump said 500ppm diesel and that federal regulations forbid the use of this fuel in 2007+ diesel trucks. It may have just had an old sticker and it may have been ULSD, however my truck starts up easier and seems to run better just by feel. Could all be placeebo i guess though...:doh:
 
#26 ·
All I can speak for is NC/SC, and here ORD and the stuff for the road is exactly the same except for the die and it has always been that way. We use to be all 500ppm and now it is all 15ppm, one is not really better than the other either. We went through all this when the switch was made, the new ULSD added other lubricants to the fuel to make up for the lack of sulphur. I have noticed any difference in mileage between the two. Maybe because it is used a lot around here, not sure, the cost is only 20 cents per gallon and I know for a fact they dip tanks. Chris found the thread I made about an hour after it happened. FWIW, I asked the cop and you won't get fined for just having red dye in your fuel or FF, they HAVE TO SEND A SAMPLE OFF TO A LAB FOR TESTING, it has to come back as a certain level to get the fine, but you will get a ticket and will have to wait for the lab results. For those that have used it, you know you can run your tank as empty as you can and add tax'd diesel and it to will have a red tint. The cops says it can take 3 to 4 tanks ( depending on size) to get all the red dye out. She said they can usually tell, as it will be more blood red.
Run it if you want to, but I would be careful getting the fuel from some of these farm tanks that are above ground. They get algae and other crap in them, like I said not worth 20, even .50 cents a gallon difference for me!!

NCH
 
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